1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an electrically opening cash drawer latch, and more particularly, to such a latch which provides an electrical signal indicative of whether the latch is open or closed.
2. Prior Art
A prior cash drawer latch invented by the inventor and disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,424,426, is opened with electrical power from a D. C. battery. When such a cash drawer is associated with a computerized cash register, it is known to automatically detect and record each opening and closing of the cash drawer by detecting opening and closing of the drawer latch, wherein the state of an electrical switch is changed by the latch each time it opens or closes. However, in this prior device, the arrangement of the latch and switch are such as to be necessarily prone to detect a drawer closing prior to complete closing of the latch. This can give rise to false indications of drawer closing. If a false indication of closing of the latch is recorded, as for example, if a partial but incomplete closing of the drawer and latch activate a change in the state of the switch, and then the drawer is pulled open, the drawer is recorded as closed even though it is open. Under these circumstances, unauthorized removal of money from the cash drawer is facilitated.
It is an object of the invention to provide a cash drawer assembly which includes a compulsory switch activating drawer latch which detects a drawer closing only when the latch is definitely closed and the drawer is therefore completely latched closed.